# Software Engineering Manager
**Role:** Software Engineering Manager · **Level:** Director
**Company:** [Chewy](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/chewy)
**Difficulty:** High
**Salary:** US$180000 - US$250000
**Experience:** 10 - 15
**Timeline:** ~14 days
This interview process for a Director-level Software Engineering Manager at Chewy is designed to assess leadership capabilities, technical depth, strategic thinking, and cultural fit. Candidates will be evaluated on their ability to lead teams, drive technical excellence, manage complex projects, and contribute to Chewy's overall engineering vision.
Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/chewy/director-software-engineering-manager
---
## Overall evaluation

- Leadership & Strategy
- Technical Acumen
- Problem Solving & Innovation
- People & Collaboration

## Questions asked

- Tell me about a time you had to lead a team through a significant organizational change.
- How do you balance the needs of your direct reports with the strategic goals of the company?
- Describe your approach to managing underperforming team members.
- What is your philosophy on building and scaling engineering teams?
- How do you foster a culture of psychological safety and continuous improvement?
- Walk me through a complex technical challenge your team faced and how you guided them to a solution.
- How do you stay current with emerging technologies and assess their potential impact on Chewy?
- Describe a time you had to influence senior leadership or stakeholders to adopt a new technical direction.
- What are your key metrics for measuring the success of an engineering team?
- How do you handle disagreements or conflicts within your team or with other departments?
- What are your thoughts on the current state of e-commerce technology and where do you see it heading?
- Tell me about a time you failed and what you learned from it.
- How do you prioritize competing demands and manage your team's workload effectively?
- What are your expectations for this role and for Chewy?
- Why are you interested in Chewy specifically?

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Deeply understand Chewy's mission, values, and business strategy.
- Review your past projects and identify key leadership challenges and successes.
- Prepare specific examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for behavioral questions.
- Familiarize yourself with common software engineering management frameworks and best practices.
- Think about your vision for a high-performing engineering team at Chewy.
- Research current trends in e-commerce technology and software development.
- Be ready to discuss your approach to managing budgets, resources, and timelines.
- Prepare thoughtful questions for the interviewers about the role, team, and company.

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Company & Self-Assessment","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Deep dive into Chewy's business model, recent news, and engineering culture. Review your career history, focusing on leadership accomplishments, team growth, and strategic initiatives. Prepare STAR stories for common leadership competencies like delegation, conflict resolution, and driving change.","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Chewy business & culture, career review, STAR stories."}
- {"title":"Technical Leadership & Strategy","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Focus on technical leadership. Brush up on system design principles, scalability, reliability, and modern software architecture. Prepare to discuss your experience in technical decision-making, managing technical debt, and fostering innovation. Review common interview questions for engineering managers related to technical strategy.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Technical leadership, system design, architecture, innovation."}
- {"title":"People Management & Development","longDescription":"Weeks 5-6: Concentrate on people management and organizational development. Study best practices for performance management, career development, hiring, and building inclusive teams. Prepare to discuss your philosophy on mentorship, coaching, and creating a positive work environment. Practice articulating your leadership style and values.","shortDescription":"Weeks 5-6: People management, team building, performance, career development."}
- {"title":"Interview Practice & Final Preparation","longDescription":"Week 7: Mock interviews focusing on behavioral, situational, and strategic questions. Refine your answers and ensure they are concise, impactful, and tailored to the Director level. Practice articulating your vision for the role and how you would contribute to Chewy's success. Prepare insightful questions for the interview panel.","shortDescription":"Week 7: Mock interviews, refining answers, preparing questions."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"Anytown, USA","differences":{"tips":["Research the local tech ecosystem and Chewy's presence within it.","Be prepared to discuss your experience managing distributed or hybrid teams if applicable to the location.","Highlight any experience working with or understanding the specific regulatory or business environment of the location."],"interviewFocus":["Understanding of the local tech talent market and competitive landscape.","Adaptability to regional work culture and collaboration styles.","Experience with specific technologies or platforms prevalent in the region."],"commonQuestions":["How do you handle a situation where a key project deliverable is at risk due to unforeseen technical challenges?","Describe a time you had to influence stakeholders outside of your direct reporting line to adopt a new technology or process.","What are your strategies for fostering innovation within an engineering team, especially in a remote or hybrid environment?","How do you balance the need for rapid feature delivery with maintaining high code quality and system stability?","In a market like [specific local tech hub], what are the key talent acquisition challenges you anticipate, and how would you address them?"]}}
- {"location":"International City, Global","differences":{"tips":["Emphasize your experience in managing diverse, international teams.","Be ready to discuss how you've handled communication challenges across different cultures and time zones.","Showcase your ability to think globally and adapt strategies to local market conditions."],"interviewFocus":["Global team management and cross-cultural collaboration.","Strategic alignment with international business goals.","Experience with scaling engineering organizations across different geographies."],"commonQuestions":["How do you ensure alignment between engineering roadmaps and broader business objectives in a global organization?","Describe your approach to managing cross-functional dependencies with teams in different time zones and cultural contexts.","What are your best practices for performance management and career development for senior engineers and technical leads?","How do you foster a culture of psychological safety and continuous learning within your teams?","Given the competitive landscape in [specific international tech hub], what are your strategies for attracting and retaining top engineering talent?"]}}

## Round 1: HR/Recruiter Phone Screen
**Type:** HR/Recruiter Screen · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 45 min
Initial screening to assess basic qualifications and cultural fit.
This initial screening call with HR or a recruiter is designed to assess your overall fit for the role and Chewy. They will review your resume, discuss your career aspirations, and provide an overview of the company and the position. This is also an opportunity for you to ask initial questions about the process and the company culture.
**Interviewers look for:** Enthusiasm for the role and Chewy.; Basic understanding of leadership principles.; Clear communication style.; Alignment with Chewy's core values.
**Evaluation criteria:** Leadership potential; Communication clarity; Initial cultural alignment assessment
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of clear leadership vision.; Inability to articulate strategic thinking.; Poor communication or stakeholder management skills.; Failure to demonstrate cultural fit.; Insufficient experience in managing complex projects or teams.
## Questions

- Can you walk me through your resume and highlight your most relevant leadership experience?
- Why are you interested in a Software Engineering Manager role at Chewy?
- What are your salary expectations for this role?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses as a leader?

## Preparation tips

- Be prepared to talk about your career journey and why you're interested in this specific role at Chewy.
- Have a concise summary of your key accomplishments and leadership experiences.
- Research Chewy's mission, values, and recent news.
- Prepare questions about the role, team, and company culture.

## Round 2: Hiring Manager Interview
**Type:** Hiring Manager Interview · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min
Assesses people management, leadership style, and team development capabilities.
This interview focuses on your experience as a people manager and leader. The hiring manager will delve into your approach to team building, performance management, conflict resolution, and fostering a positive team environment. Expect behavioral questions that require you to provide specific examples of your leadership in action.
**Interviewers look for:** Ability to manage and mentor engineers.; Experience in driving team performance.; Sound judgment in technical and people-related decisions.; Collaborative approach.
**Evaluation criteria:** Leadership and people management skills; Problem-solving abilities; Communication and collaboration
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of strategic thinking.; Inability to articulate technical vision.; Poor problem-solving skills.; Weak understanding of team dynamics and people management.; Failure to provide concrete examples.
## Questions

- Describe a time you had to manage a difficult team member. What was the situation, what actions did you take, and what was the outcome?
- How do you motivate your team, especially during challenging projects?
- What is your approach to performance reviews and career development for your engineers?
- Tell me about a time you had to make an unpopular decision as a manager. How did you handle it?
- How do you delegate tasks effectively to your team?

## Preparation tips

- Prepare detailed examples using the STAR method for common management scenarios (e.g., handling underperformance, motivating a team, resolving conflict).
- Think about your leadership philosophy and how you develop talent.
- Be ready to discuss your experience with hiring and onboarding new team members.
- Consider how you foster innovation and continuous improvement within a team.

## Round 3: Technical Leadership Interview
**Type:** Technical Deep Dive / System Design · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min
Evaluates technical leadership, system design, and architectural decision-making.
This round focuses on your technical expertise and ability to guide engineering teams from a technical perspective. You'll likely discuss system design, architectural choices, scalability, performance, and how you manage technical debt. Be prepared to whiteboard or discuss complex technical problems and solutions.
**Interviewers look for:** Strong understanding of software architecture and design patterns.; Ability to think critically about technical challenges.; Experience in scaling systems and managing technical debt.; Capacity to mentor engineers on technical best practices.
**Evaluation criteria:** Technical depth and breadth; System design and architecture skills; Problem-solving in a technical context; Ability to guide technical strategy
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of strategic technical vision.; Inability to design scalable and robust systems.; Poor understanding of architectural trade-offs.; Difficulty in articulating technical concepts clearly.; Not demonstrating leadership in technical decision-making.
## Questions

- Design a system for [e.g., a real-time notification service, an order processing pipeline]. Discuss scalability, reliability, and potential bottlenecks.
- How do you approach managing technical debt within a team?
- Describe a time you had to make a significant technical decision with incomplete information. What was your process?
- How do you ensure code quality and maintainability across your teams?
- What are your thoughts on microservices vs. monolithic architectures in the context of e-commerce?

## Preparation tips

- Review system design principles, common architectural patterns, and scalability concepts.
- Practice designing systems for high-traffic applications.
- Be ready to discuss trade-offs in technical decisions.
- Prepare examples of how you've influenced technical direction or resolved complex technical challenges.
- Understand Chewy's technology stack and challenges if possible.

## Round 4: Senior Leadership Interview
**Type:** Senior Leadership / Business Acumen · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min
Evaluates strategic thinking, business alignment, and cross-functional collaboration.
This interview with senior leadership assesses your strategic thinking, business acumen, and ability to align engineering efforts with broader company objectives. You'll discuss how you collaborate with other departments, manage stakeholders, and contribute to the overall business strategy. Expect questions about your vision for the team and how you measure success in a business context.
**Interviewers look for:** Ability to connect engineering work to business outcomes.; Experience working with product management, marketing, and other departments.; Strong communication and influencing skills.; A clear vision for how the team contributes to Chewy's success.
**Evaluation criteria:** Strategic thinking and business acumen; Cross-functional collaboration; Stakeholder management; Vision and alignment with company goals
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of strategic alignment with business goals.; Inability to demonstrate cross-functional collaboration.; Poor stakeholder management.; Failure to articulate a clear vision for the team's contribution to the business.; Not demonstrating executive presence.
## Questions

- How do you ensure your engineering team's roadmap is aligned with the company's strategic priorities?
- Describe a time you had to influence senior stakeholders outside of engineering to support a project or initiative.
- What are the key metrics you use to track the success of your engineering organization from a business perspective?
- How do you foster collaboration between engineering and product management?
- What is your vision for the future of technology at Chewy?

## Preparation tips

- Understand Chewy's business strategy, market position, and key challenges.
- Prepare examples of how you've driven business impact through engineering initiatives.
- Think about how you collaborate with product management and other non-technical stakeholders.
- Articulate your vision for the engineering team and its role in achieving business goals.
- Be prepared to discuss your experience with budgeting, resource allocation, and strategic planning.

## Round 5: Peer Manager Interview
**Type:** Peer Interview / Cultural Fit · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Assesses cultural fit, collaboration, and alignment with team dynamics.
This round often involves meeting with potential peers – other engineering managers or directors. The focus is on assessing your cultural fit, collaboration style, and how you would integrate into the existing engineering leadership team. They will be looking for someone who embodies Chewy's values and can contribute positively to the team dynamic.
**Interviewers look for:** Demonstration of Chewy's core values.; Positive attitude and collaborative spirit.; Genuine interest in the company and the role.; Ability to work effectively with diverse teams.
**Evaluation criteria:** Cultural fit; Teamwork and collaboration style; Alignment with Chewy's values; Overall impression and enthusiasm
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of cultural alignment.; Poor fit with team dynamics.; Inability to articulate how they would contribute to Chewy's culture.; Lack of enthusiasm or engagement.; Failure to demonstrate core values.
## Questions

- How do you approach working with other engineering managers on shared initiatives?
- Describe a time you had a disagreement with a peer and how you resolved it.
- What qualities do you look for in a strong engineering team, and how do you foster those qualities?
- How do you stay updated on industry best practices and share knowledge with your team and peers?
- What are you most excited about regarding the opportunity to lead a team at Chewy?

## Preparation tips

- Reflect on Chewy's core values and how your own experiences align with them.
- Be prepared to discuss how you collaborate with peers and contribute to a positive team environment.
- Show genuine interest in learning about the team and the challenges they face.
- Ask questions that demonstrate your interest in collaboration and team success.